Diffraction enhanced imaging contrast mechanisms and applications to medicine.

摘要

X-rays are one of the most commonly used forms of radiation in medical diagnostic imaging because of their ability to penetrate the body and give morphological information. Although several interactions may occur, as the x-ray photons traverse the object being radiographed, all of the common x-ray imaging techniques are based on absorption contrast. The fact that the density variations of these tissues are small makes soft tissue imaging difficult with x-rays.; A number of imaging modalities have been developed to address the problem of soft tissue imaging that are of clinical relevance. These modalities typically use alternate methods of visualization based on sound propagation (ultrasound), proton density (Magnetic Resonance Imaging-MRI), and others. In addition, enhancements to the x-ray technique include computed tomography (Computed Axial Tomography---CAT) that has more sensitivity to tissue density, phase contrast methods relying on the phase of the traversing x-rays, and refraction methods such as Diffraction Enhanced Imaging (DEI). Of these techniques, ultrasound, MRI and CAT scans are presently common clinical techniques that are used to assist in the diagnosis and isolation of lesions in tissue. DEI is experimental technique that may someday be clinical used due to the high soft tissue contrast.